BNSF - Mosquito Creek Bridge #2
Photos
BNSF Mosquito Creek Bridge #2
Looking North
Photo taken by John Marvig in October 2018
BH Photo #437449
Description
The bridge was rebuilt in 1949 from a 3 span through girder bridge (2-55', 1-45') to the current configuration:
1-21'9" Through Girder
1-111'6" Through Girder
1-22'2" Through Girder
It is possible that the 45' span was recycled and cut in half, or it is possible that the small spans were moved from an entirely different location. Information comes from the Milwaukee Road Archives at the Milwaukee Central Library.
Facts
- Overview
- Pony/through plate girder bridge over Mosquito Creek on BNSF Railway
- Location
- Shelby County, Iowa
- Status
- Open to traffic
- History
- Approach spans built 1913, main span added 1949
- Builder
- - Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Railroads
- - BNSF Railway (BNSF)
- Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (MILW)
- Design
- Pony plate girder
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 111.0 ft.
Total length: 155.0 ft.
- Also called
- MILW Bridge #Z-1450
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +41.75556, -95.46354 (decimal degrees)
41°45'20" N, 95°27'49" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 15/295189/4625569 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Earling
- Inventory number
- BH 78377 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- May 8, 2022: Updated by John Marvig: added information
- October 29, 2018: New photos from John Marvig
- September 7, 2017: Added by Daniel Barnes
Sources
- Daniel Barnes
- John Marvig - marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com
Comments
It would be fun yet sometimes sad to work as a bridge engineer for a railroad.
I wonder if any additional strengthening was done to the bridge at the time of installation. It appears the main span is a 1930s or 40s span, so I’m guessing it was part of a channelization project. Don noticed something that I did not. More than likely, these approaches came from a girder of approximately 80’(like this one: http://bridgehunter.com/ia/shelby/bh78378/)
I would be curious in finding some more information on this bridge. Biggest thing I wonder is if the approaches were built from the former bridge, or if it was a spare span relocated from elsewhere. Also can’t help but wonder if the middle section still exists somewhere. Railroad bridge engineers were really crafty with spare material. It really is fascinating.
It sure looks like the approaches were cut from one span, but not half. The cut ends both look like they are located at a reinforced area just after an angled strut. Some length must have been cut from the middle.
It sure looks like they did that here. They didn't even put any sort of bearing on the squared end, just plopped it on some wood. Just reusing a piece of scrap steel....
Looking at this bridge, it appears as if the approaches could’ve been built out of one span and split in half. Is this structurally possible?
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/ia/shelby/bh78377/
Being a railroad bridge engineer probably wouldn’t lead to the same creativity as it did a century ago. Today, everything is built with pre cast spans. I wonder what made the railroads chose to reuse scrap spans in the 20th century. Wars? Depression? The fact they were a private business?